Happy Earth Day!
Happy Earth Day! While Earth Day is officially celebrated once a year, every day should be Earth Day. Whether you are recycling, growing plants in a garden, or taking a walk to enjoy all the beauty that nature has to offer, we can all do our part to honor this planet we call home.
To kick things off, here is “Greener Plan,” the latest single from Esther Crow. This rocking 1960s style protest song is a call to action for decision makers and those in positions of power to, “Give us a greener plan/We know that you can/For our children and for us/All of us.” Esther doesn’t just sing the song, she walks the walk as a climate crisis activist and staunch defender of the Earth and ALL of its inhabitants. “Greener Plan” is a family affair with Esther’s husband on guitar and her 11-year-old son Vincent on drums.
From defending the Earth to celebrating the Earth, next up is the third album from St. Louis’s own Marko Polo, aka Mark Pagano. Mark’s love and respect for nature is evident in Tree Sounds, this new collection of 13 original songs that are rooted in the outdoors and inspired by the healing power of biophilia, or connecting to nature. Funded by a grant from The Regional Arts Commission, Tree Sounds is filled with a fun retro vibe that takes listeners on a walk through the woods, celebrating the wonder of the surrounding trees like the “Magnolia Bloom” and the “Golden Gingko.” Mark is joined on this journey by children’s performers Andrew & Polly on “Leaves” and “Plant a Tree” and Molly Ledford on “Evergreen.” This is an album that the whole family can enjoy.
Finally, here is a playlist from the Children’s Music Network that was created for Earth Day, but can be used all year through. Featuring over 70 songs by nearly that many children’s music artists, this is a list that is not to be missed!
As a child, whenever I heard adults use the phrase, “where does the time go?” I always thought, “I don’t know where it goes, but it sure goes slow.” Now, as an adult, I too wonder where the time goes, and why it goes so quickly. It feels like Halloween was just yesterday yet the first day of 2025 is only two weeks away. I had every intention of writing several posts over the course of the past month highlighting various new holiday songs, but alas, best laid plans and all. Instead, here is one bigger post to celebrate the sounds of Christmas. 
I have been looking forward to Esther Crow’s new album Listen Lead Love ever since she debuted the singles “
Esther Crow brings audiences another Earth conscious video in “Christmas Socks (Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose),” her follow up to October’s “Homemade Halloween.” This time around, Esther and her sock puppet friends encourage viewers to explore ways to repurpose items like jam jars, coffee tins, and wrapping paper into gifts and decorations. Esther never shies away from her message, but wraps it in a fun melody with a 1950’s flair (featuring a kazoo solo!!) that will have listeners chanting “recycle, reuse, repurpose!”
As a child of the 80s, I grew up having a great appreciation for homemade costumes. My mom was incredibly creative (If you showed her an egg carton, she came up with half a dozen uses for it. Show me an egg carton, I see an egg carton.) – she could knit, crochet, paint ceramics, and most importantly, sew. Whether it was a new blouse or dress, doll clothes, or holiday decor, she could do it all. And when it came to Halloween, my mom’s creativity and skill really got a chance to shine.
It’s Earth Day! Celebrate this rock we call home with a new, high-octane tune from Esther Crow. Disheartened by ever-growing landfills that contribute to the climate crisis and inspired by purging some of her own “stuff,” Esther wrote this song to encourage families to be greener and consider donating items they no longer want rather than tossing them in the trash. Produced by Dean Jones, this call-and-response rock song which features Esther’s eight-year-old son on mandolin and violin, gets the message across in a gloriously frenetic way. After jamming along, listeners will surely be left with the desire to take a good hard look at all their “stuff.” 
Be Mindful, Be Kind
Beautiful Beats
Regional Superstars You Should Know
Rockin’ Rhythms
Unique Musical Stylings
Visiting with Old Friends
With a Little Help From My Friends
Esther Crow
Written in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, Esther says of “Hard to be Happy,” “I was hoping to find a way to reach the very young, and to highlight the importance of empathy for others and acceptance of ourselves. I continue to struggle with the fact that people are persecuted for the color of their skin, or for whom they love.” To that end, the video features a conversation and duet between Bernie the Bee and Moonice the Cow, two of Esther’s signature paperbag-style felt puppets. In “Hard to be Happy” Moonice is struggling with the fact that instead of being black and white, Moonice is red and purple, while Bernie is coming to terms with being a bee who loves anchovies instead of flowers. While each character is facing challenges and things that make them sad, they know that they will be ok because they have each other.